Braid and method of making it



June 6, 1967 R. G. MITCHELL 3,323,406

BRAID AND METHOD OF MAKING IT Filed April 7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ROBERT G. M lTCHELL TTORN'Y' June 6, 1967 I R. G. MITCHELL 3,32

BRAID AND METHOD OF MAKING IT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 7, 1964 INVENTOR. ROBERT G. Mrrcueu.

TToemEV United States Patent 3,323,406 BRAKE AND METHOD OF MAKING IT Robert G. Mitchell, Lafayette Hill, Pa., assignor to Ihe Wool 0 Company, Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 358,020 9 Claims. (Cl. 87-7) This invention relates to braids and the method of making them and it is an object to provide a flat braid, for a rug or the like, which will reduce the time required to assemble a rug or permit the automatic making of a braided rug without a subsequent assembly operation.

Braided rugs or the like are usually made 'by first forming the braid in single long strips and then securing loops of the braided strips edgewise, such as by sewing thereof, in the desired configuration of the article to be made. It is seen hence, that if the width of the braid is doubled or tripled, the amount of edgewise sewing required is reduced by one-half or two-thirds.

By increasing the width of the braid a relatively fiat braid results.

The flat braid which results, in this invention, is a tandem or side-by-side arrangement of plural braids automatically so joined during the braiding operation.

If the rug or the like article is to be made by stitching, the number of side-by-side braids which are used is limited to that number which can be conveniently manipulated and practically bent into the shape of the rug. If a rectangular or square rug is desired, it is seen that the number of side-by-side braids can be increased to the width of the rug desired and the braids extended in length to any length desired, so that to form the finished rug all one need do is cut the braid to the proper length and bind the cut ends.

In one embodiment of this invention a flat braid is made comprising four cores, divided into two sets each of two cores, and all the cores are disposed in a common plane, being in side-by-side parallel relation to each other. Two groups of surface yarns are braided about the two sets of cores, the first group of surface yarns being formed about only the first set of cores and the second group of surface yarns being formed about only the second set of cores. During the braiding the adjacent portions of the surface yarns of the two groups are interlocked.

The braiding action is in the shape of a figure-8 disposed on its side and each surface yarn interlocks once with a surface yarn of the adjacent group each time a figure-8 is completed, the same two yarns always interlocking along the length of the cores.

The flat braid thus formed may then be looped upon itself and joined edgewise, as is usual, by stitching or other means, to form rugs or the like.

If the number of sets of cores is increased beyond two to, for instance, four sets, the figure-8 shapes formed about the intermediate sets of cores have surface yarns that interlock with the surface yarns of the adjacent sets twice in each figure-8 shape, once at each end of the figure-8, while the figure-8 shapes formed by the surface yarns about the end sets of cores interlock only once in each figure-8 shape.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, and the best modes in which I have contemplated applying such principles will more fully appear from the following description and accompanying drawings in illustration thereof.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a view of the front face of a segment of a braid formed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic exploded view, to better show the relationship of the surface yarns to each other, looking at the same face of the braid as in FIG. 1;

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FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view, taken transverse to the length of the braid and exploded, of the braid illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of apparatus for making the braid illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view, similar to FIG. 3, of a modification of this invention.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates the braid 10 provided by this invention comprising a first set of cores or fillers 14 and 15 and a second set of cores or fillers 16 and 17. All of the cores are disposed in a common plane, are substantially parallel to each other, and generally in side-by-side relation to each other.

About the cores 14 and 15, as illustrated in FIG. 2, is braided a first group of surface yarns 27, 28 and 29, and about the cores 16 and 17 is braided a second group of surface yarns 20, 21 and 22.

As desired, the two groups of surface yarns may be distinctive or the same in color or pattern. That is, the color of the first group of surface yarns may be different from that of the second group of surface yarns or the first group may have one color pattern and the second group another color pattern.

The two groups of surface yarns are braided about the cores simultaneously and each surface yarn in being so braided traverses a figure-8 shape and interlocks, between the two sets of cores, with a surface yarn of the other group once when each figure-8 is completed.

For example, referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the surface yarn 27 (of the first group) is wound or braided about the core 14 in the direction from a to b (clockwise) and then about the core 15 from c to d (counterclockwise). Simultaneously, the surface yarn 20 (of the second group) is wound or braided about the core 16 fro-m IV to III (counterclockwise) and about the core 17 from II to I (clockwise). The two surface yarns 20 and 27 interlock between the cores 15 and 16 because during the aforementioned winding the yarn 20 first passes under the yarn 27 and then over the yarn 27, as illustrated, to form the interlock 40, FIGS. 2 and 3. The other surface yarns 21, 22, 27 and 28 are similarly braided about the cores along the lengths of the latter.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 each of the surface yarns 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29 has been illustrated as formed by a group of three strands but more or less strands may form each yarn, as desired. Similarly, the cores 14, 15, 16 and 17, in FIGS. 1 and 2 have been illustrated as formed by four strands but more or less strands may form each core, as desired.

The braid is tightly and closely woven, as illustrated in FIG. 1, and due to the plurality of side-by-side cores 14, 15, 16 and 17, all in a common plane, a relatively flat and Wide braid results which is about double and width that would result if only the cores 14 and 15 were used.

The apparatus, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4, for making the aforedescribed braid may comprise a flat plate, not illustrated, in which are disposed two tracks 52 and 53 of approximate figure-8 shape.

The track 52 is formed by approximate circles 52a and 52b and the track 53 by approximate circles 53a and 53b, the adjacent circles of each track having common tangential portions 520 and 530, as illustrated.

The adjacent circles 52b and 53a overlap as illustrated to define a common track Zone 58. The circles 52a, 52b, 53a and 53b all lie along the same horizontal axis, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

Movable in the track 52 is a first group of three carriers for the surface yarns 27, 28 and 29 and movable in the track 53 is a second group of three carriers for the surface yarns 20, 21 and 22.

The carriers of each group are initially staggered about the tracks, as illustrated, and each group of carriers moves sequentially about its own track. Further, the carrier for surface yarn 27 is paired with the carrier for the surface yarn 20 so that in traversing figure-8 shapes they meet in the common track zone 58, FIG. 4, the carrier for the surface yarn 27 arriving first and leaving the common track zone 58 after the carrier for the surface yarn 20 has entered, thereby providing the under and over relationship of the surface yarns 20 and 27, heretofore described, to provide the interlock 40 of the surface yarns 20 and 27, FIG. 3.

After the carriers for the surface yarns 20 and 27 leave the common zone 58 they proceed along their respective tracks and traverse a figure-8 shape returning again to the common track zone 58.

Since the carriers for surface yarns 20 and 27 enter the common zone '58 from opposite ends, they can be arranged to enter the common zone simultaneously. But so long as both carriers for surface yarns 20 and 27 are in the common zone 58 at the same time to some extent, an interlock will take place between the yarns 20 and 27, regardless of their respective entry times into the common zone 58.

A similar braiding action to that described for surface yarns 20 and 27 takes place between the pair of surface yarns 21 and 28 and between the pair of surface yarns 22 and 29, see FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 4, the cores 14, 15, 16 and 17 extend from spools below the plate defining the aforementioned tracks and the holes 59 are located in the center of the circles 52a, 52b, 53a and 53b. The cores 14, 15, 16 and 17 extend upwardly in a common vertical plane perpendicular to the plane of the plate defining the tracks, but for purposes of illustration in FIG. 4 the cores 14, 15, 16 and 17 have been illustrated as offset toward the upper part of the figure. That is, the ring or guide device 70 is preferably supported by a column, not illustrated, directly and centrally over the common zone 58, so that the cores 14, 15, 16 and 17 will move upwardly in a common plane approximately perpendicular to the plate of the tracks. Since the guide device collects the cores 14, 15, 16 and 17 they slope toward the guide device 70 within their common plane.

In starting the operation, the ends of the surface yarns 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29 and the ends of the cores 14, 15, 16 and 17 are tied together and fed through the guide device 70, and between two gears (not illustrated) but adjacent, and preferably above, the guide device 70, the gears being synchronized with the braiding action of the apparatus and moving the braid upward as it is formed.

Thus, it is seen that the carriers for the surface yarns 27, 28 and 29 move about the figure-8 track 52 and in so doing wrap or braid themselves about the cores 14 and 15. Simultaneously, alongside the figure-8 track 52, the carriers for the surface yarns 20, 21 and 22 move about the figure-8 track 53 and braid themselves about the cores '16 and 17. The interlocking of all pairs of surface yarns takes place as the carriers for a particular pair of surface yarns pass one another in the common zone.

FIG. is an illustration of an embodiment which results in a fiat braid having approximately double the width of the braid illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. 5 is an exploded sectional view taken transverse to the length of the braid.

Referring to FIG. 5, four groups of cores or fillers are shown. The first group comprises cores 80 and 81, the second group cores 82 and 83, the third group cores 84 and 85, and the fourth group cores 86 and 87.

Braided about each of the cores in a general figure-8 shape, similar to the figure-8 shapes previously mentioned are a suitable number of surface yarns. In FIG. 5 a surface yarn 90 is shown as being braided about the cores 80 and 81, the surface yarn 91 is braided about the cores 82 and 83, the surface yarn 92 is braided about the cores 84 and 85, and the surface yarn 93 is braided about the cores 86 and 87. Each of the surface yarns 90, 91, 92 and 93 is a member of a group of surface yarns, one group for each of the four groups of cores, but the entire group of surface yarns are not illustrated in FIG. 5.

It will be noted in FIG. 5 that the intermediate surface yarns 91 and 92 are interlocked at both ends of the figure-8, that is, the surface yarn 91 is interlocked with surface yarn 92 to form interlock 9S and with surface yarn to form the interlock 96, and the surface yarn 92 also interlocks with the surface yarn 93 to form interlock 97. However the end surface yarns 9t) and 93 are only interlocked at the inner portion of the figure-8 shapes, that is, interlocks 96 and 97.

The apparatus for making the braid illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 5 is not illustrated but it is seen that it would be similar to the apparatus diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 4, except that four tracks each of figure-8 shape are required, instead of the two figure-8 tracks 52 and 53 illustrated in FIG. 4. Also, apparatus for making the braid of FIG. 5 would require that the intermediate tracks overlap with each other and with the adjacent end track. Each of the tracks would be supplied with carriers for the surface yarns being used and the carriers would be staggered about the tracks and sequentially movable thereon, generally as illustrated in connection with FIG. 4. In other respects the apparatus for producing the braid diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 5 would be similar to that illustrated in FIG. 4 and described in connection therewith.

Having described this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A braid comprising a set of at least two cores disposed lengthwise side-by-side and in a common plane with a set of two other cores, a group of surface yarns braided about one of the sets of cores, another group of surface yarns braided about the other set of cores, a surface yarn of each group being interlocked once with a surface yarn of the other group along the length of the braid.

2. A braid comprising a first set of at least two cores disposed parallel and in tandem with a second set of two other cores, a group of surface yarns braided about said first set of cores, another group of surface yarns braided about said second set of cores, at least one surface yarn of each set being interlocked with at least one surface yarn of the other set along contiguous parts of the surface yarns and interlocked only between said sets.

3. A substantially flat braid comprising a plurality of sets of cores disposed parallel to each other and substantially in one common plane, groups of surface yarns, each group of surface yarns comprising a plurality of yarns, each group of surface yarns being braided about two of said cores, the surface yarns of one group interlocking at one side of the group with corresponding surface yarns of an adjacent group between said sets.

4. The combination recited in claim 3 wherein the end groups of surface yarns interlock with the inner groups of surface yarns along one side only but the inner groups of surface yarns interlock with the adjacent groups on both sides.

5. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein all the surface yarns have figure-8 shapes about the two cores around which they are braided and the abutting portions of the figure-8 shapes of adjacent groups of surface yarns interlock.

6. The combination recited in claim 3 wherein all surface yarns have figure-8 shapes about the two cores around which they are braided and the abutting portions of the figure-8 shapes of adjacent groups of surface yarns interlock.

7. The method of making a flat braid comprising disposing at least four cores in parallel common plane, side-by-side arrangement, braiding one group of surface yarns about the first and second of said cores, simultaneously braiding another group of surface yarns about the third and fourth of said cores, and interlocking said surface yarns between and along said cores during said braiding.

8. The combination recited in claim 7 wherein the braiding is in the shape of a figure-8 around two cores.

9. The method of making a flat braid comprising placing a plurality of cores in a common plane, dividing said cores into tandem sets each set comprising at least two cores, wrapping groups of surface yarns in figure-8 shapes about and along the sets of cores with each group of surface yarns being Wrapped about one set of cores only, and interlocking the yarns of one group with the yarns References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Kalbach 87-7 Huber 87-7 X Petersen 87-30 Gowell.

Brown et a1. 87-7 X Iwai 877 of the ad acent group between the sets of cores during 10 FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

J. PETRAKES, Assistant Examiner.

the wrapping. 

1. A BRAID COMPRISING A SET OF AT LEAST TWO CORES DISPOSED LENGTHWISE SIDE-BY-SIDE AND IN A COMMON PLANE WITH A SET OF TWO OTHER CORES, A GROUP OF SURFACE YARNS BRAIDED ABOUT ONE OF THE SETS OF CORES, ANOTHER GROUP OF SURFACE YARNS BRAIDED ABOUT THE OTHER SET OF CORES, A SURFACE YARN OF EACH GROUP BEING INTERLOCKED ONCE WITH A SURFACE YARN OF THE OTHER GROUP ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE BRAID. 